Tribute to William S. Kroger (1995)

No One Has a Monopoly on Hypnosis Notes from Clinical and Experimental HypnosisHypnoanesthesia in Dentistry and ObstetricsPrevention of Psychosomatic IllnessHypnosis and Its Medical ImplicationsHypnotherapy in General PracticeNo One Has a Monopoly on Hypnosis(From an address to the AAEH Convention in 1966)
An unexpected
but most welcome feature on the program was the impromptu appearance of Dr.
William S. Kroger, the author of the Number One book on hypnosis today,
CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL HYPNOSIS, and probably the foremost authority on
hypnosis in the country. In his talk, Dr. Kroger likened hypnosis to faith, and
pointed out that just as no one has a monopoly on faith, so does no one have a
monopoly on hypnosis.
"Hypnosis
has no boundaries," said Dr. Kroger. He pointed out that hypnosis, the
essence of which is suggestion, pervades every phase (of life, and includes
advertising and selling. The "soft sell" especially, he said, is a
form of indirect hypnosis. His description of hypnosis, which is really a form
of communication, concluded with the statement, "No one knows where
suggestion ends and hypnosis begins."
Dr. Kroger
expressed concern with the attempts of some hypnotists who feel
"omnipotent" to exclude people in other fields who may logically and
ethically use certain forms of hypnosis. He also felt irked with those who,
lacking proper credentials and training, used hypnosis in an illegal or
improper manner and in an area in which
they were not legally qualified to practice. He felt that "knowing our
place" in the field is important. In this regard he expressed succinctly
the basis principle of the Association to Advance Ethical Hypnosis. Dr. Kroger
performed an especially worthwhile service in mentioning the International
Society for Comprehensive Medicine, of which he is one of the founders. This
society, which already numbers more than 400 members, invites membership by the
healing arts and the ancillary professions, as well as by scientists in all the
fields, including engineers, physicists, educators, etc. A prime purpose of the
Society is to "cross‑fertilize" all the arts and sciences, and, by
working together, to enable all to "speak the same language." Dr.
Kroger invited membership applications from convention attendees who were
qualified, stressing that all those who fulfilled the membership requirements
of the Society would receive due consideration. Readers, especially persons,
who wish to join this Society should write to the editor, who will submit the
applicant's name to Dr. Kroger.Notes from Clinical and Experimental HypnosisIt is
imperative to remove all the most popular misconceptions about hypnosis before
attempting an induction procedure. The most common of these is that the subject
is asleep, unconscious, or in a "knocked‑out" state. The stage
hypnotist has contribute to the widely held notion that hypnosis is a
"trance" or a "sleep‑like" or "out‑of‑this‑world"
state. Apprehensive patients should be informed that they will not necessarily
lose awareness or fall asleep. Rather, they will be more aware. Actually,
hypnosis has little resemblance to true sleep. Most ideas equating sleep with
hypnosis stem from motion pictures portraying the hypnotized individual with
his eyes closed. An explanation that the eyes are closed to facilitate
concentration can be amplified by the following remarks, "Have you ever
noted how a music lover at a concert often has his eyes closed while he is
listening to the performance? Even though he looks relaxed an asleep, he is
more alert; he can even follow a single theme through many variations."
This analogy is useful for differentiating sleep with hypnosis. (p.36)What is
important is not the depth of the "trance" but the degree of rapport
and emotional participation by the patient. Dr. Kroger repeatedly indicates
that the therapist only "sets the stage," but that ultimately it is
the patient who permits the hypnotic relationship to develop by selective
attention. (p viii) Hypnotherapy is a tool direct to the patient's needs rather
than those of the therapist, and therefore can be employed with other types of
psychotherapy. The basis for successful psychotherapy depends to a large degree
on the rapport or the strength of the interpersonal relationship between the
physician and patient. Suggestion at different levels of awareness is wittingly
or unwittingly utilized in this relationship. Since no one knows where
suggestion end and hypnosis begins, the real basis for, all forms of
psychotherapy must be "suggestion" and/or "hypnosis in slow
motion." (p. xi)

My thesis, at
the risk of oversimplification, is that emotional illness and health are
conviction phenomena that are "programmed" into the neural circuits
by negative, destructive, and harmful experiential conditioning; positive, constructive
reconditioning results in adaptive behavior. Such reconditioning by hypnosis
incisively mobilizes the "built in" adaptive processes that already
are present in the organism. (p. xii)

Nearly all
subjects believe that their response are produced by the hypnotist. In reality, it is the subject who initiates
the acts in response to an appropriate expectant attitude. Where criticalness
is reduced, a suggested act usually is automatically carried out without the
individual's logical processes participating in the response. And when one
suggestion after another is accepted in ascending order of importance ‑ task
motivate suggestions ‑ more difficult ones are accepted, particularly if the
sensory spiral of belief is compounded from the onset. This is called abstract
conditioning and, in part, helps to explain the role that suggestibility plays
in the production of hypnotic phenomena. Suggestibility is further enchanted by
a favorable attitude or mental set that establishes proper motivation. (p. 7)

One of the
most important ingredients for hypnotic suggestibility is the expectation of
help form one who is in a prestigious position. If convinced of the truth of
this person's words, the subject behaves differently because he thinks and
believes differently. From time immemorial, all healing by suggestion or
hypnosis has been based on his mechanism. If the idea is accepted that
increased suggestibility is produced by a favorable mind‑set or attitude,
catalyzed by the imagination, then hypnotic responses fall into the realm of conviction
phenomena. As such, they are subjective mechanisms which are inherently
present, to a degree in all individuals. They result from the subject's
imagination compounding the sensory spiral or belief until conviction occurs.
Hence, "It is indeed a wise hypnotist who knows who is hypnotizing whom!"
(p. 9)

Rapport has
been defined as a harmonious relationship between two persons. In hypnosis, it
results from restricted attention to some or all stimuli residing in the field
of awareness. Thus rapport, as it relates to the hypersuggestibility produced
by the hypnotic situation, is a special kind of relationship in which the
operator's suggestions are followed more readily. This is due to the greater
belief and confidence established by him... Even blind persons and deaf mutes
can be hypnotized through other sensory modalities if there is good rapport...
It has been contended that the rapport in hypnosis is due to emotional
dependency on the operator. However, there is no more dependency in the
hypnotic situation than in any other psychotherapeutic relationship. When
autohypnosis is incorporated into therapy, whatever dependency exists is
minimized or eliminated.

One can
conclude from the above that patient rapport denotes the ability and
willingness of the patient and the operator to enter into an intensified
emotional relationship with each other. As a result, the subject is motivated
to accept the beliefs that are so necessary for the establishment of conviction. These are the special requisites for hypnotic
induction, utilization of the hypnotic state for production of behavioral
responses, and subsequent behavioral changes. (p. 12)IDEOSENSORY
ACTIVITIES:
Ideosensory activity referees to the capacity of the brain to develop sensory
images, which may be kinesthetic, olfactory, visual, tactile, or gustatory. A
common example of Ideosensory activity is looking a fire and "seeing"
the "face" of one's beloved. During negative Ideosensory activity,
there is the denial of actual sensory experiences, such as not seeing or
hearing something that actually is present (e.g., looking for one's pencil and
finding it in front of one). A typical example is the complete absorption in an
interesting book that produces a selective type of "deafness" to
irrelevant stimuli. Imagining the "smell" of a certain odor that does
not actually exist is an example to a positive Ideosensory activity. (p. 13)
The
posthypnotic act, even though carried out long after it is suggested, is
probably a spontaneously self‑induced replica of the original hypnotic
situation. A posthypnotic suggestion may last for minutes to years. It is
agreed, however, that it may remain effective for several months. During this period,
decrement occurs in the quality of the posthypnotic performance. Periodic reinforcement, however, tends to
increase effectiveness; repeated elicitation does not weaken it. Posthypnotic
suggestions usually are followed irrespective of the depth of hypnosis.
Completion depends more upon the nature and the difficulty of the suggested
task than upon the depth of hypnosis.
Internal factors or external factor, of one type or another, can prevent
fulfillment. When this happens, profound anxiety may be produced. Therefore, a
posthypnotic suggestion should not be of a bizarre nature, but in keeping with the
subject's needs and goals.
Some subjects
develop a complete amnesia for the posthypnotic act and yet readily follow the
original suggestion. Others can be aware of the original suggestion as they
carry it out. Still other remembers the suggestion only after completion of the
act. Response to posthypnotic suggestions might be compared with the compulsive
behavior noted in all of us at times. We know what we are doing, but do not
know why! If the setting in which the posthypnotic suggestion occurs is altered, of if the expectant
attitudes change between the time of the suggestion and the time when it is
about to be carried out, then deeply
hypnotizes persons can cancel even the original suggestion. (p. 14)
Dissociation is somewhat similar to hypnotic amnesia. It refers to the inherent
ability of a hypnotized subject to "detach" himself from his
immediate environment. This phenomenon occurs at nonhypnotic level, as in
reverie states. An individual may be
completely dissociated and yet retain his capacity to function adequately. This
dissociated state is similar to dreaming, when one "see" himself
performing many activities. Nearly all situations produced in dreams can be
attained in the dissociated state by appropriate posthypnotic suggestions. ...
Dissociation frequently is used to induce hypnoanesthesia... A portion of the
body, such as limb, can be "anesthetized" through dissociation: the person does not feel the
"separated" part. (p. 15)Analgesia, or the first stage of anesthesia
is characterized by the lack of startle reaction, facial flinch, and grimaces.
Although insensitivity to pain can be simulated readily, hypnotized person seem
to withstand more discomfort and pain than would otherwise be possible.
Hypnoalgesia is usually more effective than "biting the bullet" or
voluntary control of pain. Anesthesia refers to the complete lack of awareness
of pain. Electromygraphic studies indicate that in hypnosis the pain is present
in the tissues, but there is no awareness of it. Since the physiologic
reactions to painful stimuli such as increased heart rate, respiration and
galvanic skin reflexes are diminished, hypnoanesthesia apparently is genuine.
(p. 19)
Frequently,
even after it has been emphasized repeatedly that the hypnotized individual
does not fall asleep, patients state, "Doctor, I know I wasn't hypnotized.
I heard everything you said." I often remark, "That's right, I wanted
you to hear everything that was said. If you heard 100 per cent of what I suggested,
you then have 100 per cent chance of absorbing these suggestions and if you
absorbed all of these suggestions, there is a much better chance that you will
follow these suggestions." This statement, when made in an affirmative
manner, clears up any misconception that sleep and hypnosis is synonymous. (p.36)
It is helpful
to emphasize that subjects are no dominated by the will of the hypnotist; they are fully capable of making
decisions at all times (p. 36) Some still believe that morons, imbeciles, and
weak‑minded persons make the best hypnotic subjects. This, too is a misconception.
Rather, it appears that people with above average intelligence, who are capable
of concentrating, usually make the best subjects. Motivation can be increased
by stating, "If you are readily hypnotizable, this indicates that you are
above average in intelligence." (p. 37)
Some persons
believe that, if they are hypnotizable, this indicates that hey are gullible
and believe everything told to them. Mental discrimination is not impaired with
regards to stimuli which threaten the integrity of the organism. (p.37)
All
misconceptions should be removed by adequate explanations during the initial visit.
This discussion should be conducted at the level of the patient's intelligence.
Readily understood examples should be used for illustrative purposes. Al tough
this is time consuming, the results are rewarding. (p. 37) Mentioning that the
phenomena of hypnosis occur as a part of everyday life is helpful in the
removal of the commoner misconceptions. (p. 37‑38) Points to be emphasis: (1)
intelligent individuals usually make the best subjects; (2) The subject's will
is not surrendered; (3) a hypnotized person does not lose control or reveal
intimate material unless he wishes to do so: (4) susceptibility to hypnosis is
not related to gullibility or submissiveness; and (5) hypnosis can be
terminated readily by either the subject or the operator. (p.38)
When using
hypnosis in a child, always talk to him at his own intellectual level. If
possible, make the induction procedure a sort of game. Use his imagination to
"look" at a TV program. Get him to play a role in it or have him
resort to some type of daydreaming fantasy. Imagery techniques are more
effective if the ideas are incorporated into the child's imagination. Let him think
that he controls the situation by having him decide if he wishes to play
baseball while getting an injection; there will be less discomfort if he is
engrossed in the ball game. Most children go into hypnotic states readily
through such naturalistic techniques, especially if ideomotor and Ideosensory
involvement is fully utilized. (p. 79)
Weitzenhoffer
believes that there is no foundation for the belief that hypnosis weakens the
will, leads to over dependency or causes neuroticism." This author is in
complete accord with this statement. The incontrovertible fact is that it is
doubtful it, when properly used, there is another modality less dangerous in
medicine than hypnosis. Yet there is no medical technique which makes a better
"whipping boy" than hypnosis. (p. 104)
To protect
hypnotherapeutic methods from adverse criticism, the therapist should not
promise more than can be accomplished, and a guarantee of cure should not be made.
However, if there is a valid indication, one can state that everything will be
done to help the patient recover. All patients should be informed that the
results obtained in hypnosis are based wholly on the patient's cooperation and
willingness to cooperate. The following remark is helpful, "You are not being
treated by hypnosis but rather in hypnosis. Hypnosis merely facilitates the
understanding so necessary in all successful therapy. You are the one who developed
the condition that you wish removed; therefore, it can be accomplished only by
reversing those faulty thinking patterns which produced the symptom. Naturally, this will require your utmost
concentration, receptivity, self‑objectivity, and understanding."
Hypnosis
should always be employed for definitive goals. The dictum that "Hypnosis
should be used for the good of the patient, not to enhance the prestige of the
operator" must be kept in mind. It should never be used for entertainment
by a physician or dentist. Otherwise, respect for the method and the operator
is destroyed. Finally, as emphasized, the inexperienced operator must never
attempt to elicit deeply repressed and traumatic material unless he has been trained to recognize it and to know
what to do with is when it appears. (p.
107)
In a Presidential address
to the American Cancer Society in 1659, Pendergrass stated: "I personally
have observed cancer patients who have undergone successful treatment and were
living and well for years... There is solid evidence that the course of disease
generally is affected by emotional distress... We may learn how to influence
general body systems and through them modify the neoplasm which resides within
the body... As we go forward...
searching for new means of controlling growth both within the cell and
through systematic influences... we can widen the quest to include the distinct
possibility that within one's mind is a power capable of exerting forces
which can either enhance or inhibit the
progress of this disease." (p. 282) Today, many clergymen are employing
hypnotherapy with astonishing success. Since they are already sort of a father‑confessor
to many of their parishioners, they are in an enviable position to help them
because of well‑established faith.
Pastoral counseling has made raid strides, and it is only a matter of
time until there will be many more clergymen making use of hypnotherapy. The
author has taught hypnotherapy to several clergymen. They report gratifying
results when hypnosis is utilized within a religious framework. (p. 368)

Hypnoanesthesia in Dentistry and Obstetrics(from the Journal of Psychophysical Sciences and Hypnosis)The goal of
hypnosis in dentistry as well as obstetrics is the prevention or relief of
discomfort and pain. We are all well aware of the anxiety and tension powered
by the fearful anticipation of pain in both procedures. Hypnoanesthesia may be
employed to completely prevent or alleviate this anxiety thereby raising the obstetrical or dental patient's pain
threshold to a point where they
experience little or no discomfort whatever. Since only 20% of patients
are amenable to a stage of hypnosis where surgical anesthesia can be achieved,
it must be used more in combination with chemoanesthesia. This applies to both dental
and obstetrical problems
In both
dental and obstetrical patients, tile factors responsible for the anxiety and
subsequent lowering o f the pain threshold must be elicited. These are often
unconscious and are often based on the severity of the patient's anxiety, the
resulting tension and the type of personality structure. The aptitude for
hypnosis can usually be facilitated by group training. The structural dynamics
for training in hypnosis in dental and obstetrical anesthesia are similar. When
group training in the techniques of hypnotic relaxation are utilized, more
patients will be good hypnotic subjects because of the identification that
usually occurs in a group. However, this may not work as well as an individual.
approach for some patients. Specific suggestions may have to be given as to
allow insight into the symbolic meaning of the anticipated dental or
obstetrical discomfort that each patient harbors. Here a keen sensitivity to the patient's subtle states of
feeling, conscious or unconscious, as
manifested in their verbalization and/or behavior, will produce more desirable results ‑‑ provided of course, that
the doctor has adequate psychologic skills and training. The intensity of the
patient's anxiety and the likelihood that it may render him a poor candidate
for group training must also be considered. Although I have no figures on the
matter, it seems possible that this situation may occur more frequently in
obstetrics than in dentistry. For instance, I have encountered women in my past
experience, who would rather have had all their teeth extracted than endure
childbirth. Yet, there were all women endured toothache month after month
rather than experience the temporary pain of dental care. These women are not
in the least intimidated by pregnancy, Why does tooth pain prove more anxiety
provoking than childbirth for one patient and not for another?
Naturally
cases like these would present a challenge even to the experienced psychiatrist
and would cause at times an almost insurmountable difficulty for the dentist or
obstetrician in attempting to understand how to approach them for the purpose
of hypnoanesthesia. It would appear necessary to understand as thoroughly as
possible the deep meaning of the procedure ‑ obstetrical or dental ‑ as well as
the symbolic meaning of the pain associated with it. Thus, a more concentrated
individual approach is indicated than is possible in a group setting. Once
something is understood of the psychological significance of suffering of the
patient, the methods of inducing trance are very nearly similar for both types
of patients.
One distinct
advantage of group training is that it is a time saving procedure for both the
dentist and obstetrician. A weekly one‑hour class can take care of about 25
patients. Thus, valuable time is saved in the office. The dentists in this
country have blazed the trail in the clinical applications of hypnoanesthesia.
They are to be congratulated for their pioneering efforts. One interesting feature stands out - namely that
dentists do not educate patients as to
how they are going to prepare a cavity or the actual mechanics of the dental worn. They raise the pain threshold by
hypnosis. Obstetricians, on the other hand, believe that education in the birth
process helps raise the pain threshold.
Since the
dynamics responsible for lowering the pain threshold are similar, it is obvious
that the education is not essential. I can envisage that patients who have had
hypnoanesthesia employed for their dental work may ask obstetricians to utilize
similar procedures without the ritualistic exercises and educational
procedures. What physicians and dentists must realize is that pain relief is achieved
by hypnosis through a strong interpersonal relationship ‑ rapport. This rapport
is an essential requirement for altering the conscious perception of/and memory
for pain.
Hypnoanesthesia
has been discarded several times during the past century because patients and
therapists expect it to be the sole method of allaying pain, whereas it has
greater utility to alleviate fear, anxiety and tension in the apprehensive
dental patient and mother‑to‑be.
Reassurance
and support, which are the mainstays of psychotherapy for an acute psychologic
crisis are just as important in preparing the anxious patient for dental and
obstetrical anesthesia. Since time is an important factor, this can be rapidly
achieved by training groups in the techniques of hypnotic relaxation. Finally,
as mentioned, hypnosis is not a panacea, nor will it ever be a substitute for
chenoanesthesia, but should chiefly be used to allay fear, anxiety and tension
and only occasionally to produce anesthesia. Since hypnosis is a multifaceted
tool, its utility can be broadened if it is used in conjunction with
chenoanesthesia. This should have a salutary effect toward a healthier
acceptance of hypnosis, especially if unwarranted claims are not made for its
numerous advantages, and if its results are not sensationalized. Even though it
has been around for a long time, hypnosis is still a young science in its
modern applications, and contrary to popular opinion, it is not a spectacular
phenomenon, but is experienced in one fond or another as part of everyday life.
Today, hypnosis is rapidly becoming an accepted medical tool in dentistry and
obstetrics. It is initially more time‑consuming than an injection, but just as
practical. Therefore, dentists and physicians now use hypnosis will find new
functions for this technique and to many o f them, I am certain that it will
help bring insight into the numerous emotional factors associate with the practice
of dentistry and obstetrics. Thus, dentists and physicians will do well to
direct their attention toward the subtle and reciprocal action of mind and body
‑‑ that is, personality.

Prevention of Psychosomatic Illness(from the Journal of Psychophysical Sciences and Hypnosis)
First, I
should like to define the term psychosomatics. This refers to the promotion of
health or disease through the normal or abnormal interrelationship and
interdependence of the psychological and physiological functions. The word
psychosomatic is a bad word because it doesn't completely describe all the factors
involved. The reasons being: we cannot divide the mind from the body because
the mind is a part of the body. The mind and body interact to produce a given
condition. Sometimes the condition is somatopsychic, which is a disease such as
a heart condition or cancer causing a neurotic disorder. However, more often we
have tension, producing a physical condition such as stomach ulcers, and then
it is truly psychosomatic.
Now, with the
advances that have been made in medicine, we must expand our thinking to include
environment. This consists not only of the external world, but also the
internal forces of the human organism. This approach is called comprehensive
medicine. We will be hearing a great deal about this procedure in the next few
years. The human is subjected to many stimuli from inside and from outside of
the body. Humans are what we call open system acting with other humans who are
open systems. We thus can see the importance of the interract1ons of one person
with another.
The human
fetus or unborn baby is capable of thinking at 14 weeks, and a personal begins
to form from 14 to 40 weeks, when birth usually occurs. The child is affected
by the way the mother feels. If the mother is relaxed and has much love, this
security will be transferred to the baby. Perhaps this is where we get the
expression, "the whole world loves a mother". Any psychological
diseases begin in the uterus. What we are saying is that certain chemical
compounds do cross the placenta and affect the baby for better or worse. If the
baby is over‑stimulated with harmful thoughts, the baby is born neurotic. These
babies have a higher percentage of asthma and allergies. During this time they
exhibit a lot of motion in the uterus. They weigh less at birth, indicating that
they use up the carbohydrate that should have formed fat, because of excessive
movements.
At birth, a
personality is brought into the world and each one is different. The breast‑fed
infant will be contented and will be less likely to have psychosomatic illness.
The mother should want to do this feeding and give warmth and cuddling. The
worst thing that can happen is to put the baby in a crib and have him suck on a
bottle. This is without loving and cuddling. This is a mechanistic way or
starting life. Later on in life one will develop habits to satisfy the lips. In
the lips is where the baby gets satisfaction during the first year. This sets
the stage for later gratification through the lips including sexual (does not
mean intercourse, but a drive for pleasure). The first year is the oral world.
Any psychosomatic diseases like obesity can be prevented by proper management
of the baby. A person uses food or smoking as a symbolic return to the breast,
where he once knew safety and security. This is particularly true for
emotionally insecure persons.
The next
stage of development is anal when the child receives pleasure from bowel
movements and urination. He cooks with pride at 2 or 3, at his ability to pass
stool. If the child is not trained properly, but instead by rigid training, or
by an attitude of no attention, he becomes an anal personality and equates
giving up stool with power‑‑thus, all his life he doesn't want to give
anything. He is stingy or tight. Set on possessions, he does not want to give
anything. Then there are other children, because of faulty treatment, who are
unable to control stools and the bladder. They later may develop colitis and
bladder disjunctions, they are usually very retarded and hate to give up bed wetting.
This bed wetting should be finished and over by 4 years of age, but it may go
to the age or 14 or 15 or often to adulthood. They want to get even with their
parents who would not give them love or satisfaction. These are the kinds of
people who develop ulcers, headaches, and cardiac disease. The reason for this
is that they are so full of hate and resentment that they cannot express their
anger and they turn it in on themselves. They must atone for guilt by paying
the price of poor health. We call them psychosomatic masochists rather than
physical masochists. They love to suffer. This is called the pain and pleasure
syndrome. They love to suffer, for example, gamblers who love to lose money.
They get involved with love as children, take drugs, and later become
alcoholics. This also includes the repetitive smoker, because he knows it is
harmful. He has a strong desire to suffer, and many have an unconscious wish to
die. The next stage of development is where the child develops pleasure from
genitals (phallic ages 3 to 5). The growing child should have left the oral and
anal stages behind for the genital pleasures. Stimulation can be produced by
the child himself or when the child is bathed by the mother or nurse. These
feelings are necessary to prepare these areas for later adult function. To
prohibit this natural function is to initiate problems such as frigidity and
impotency. By age five or six the normal child is able and willing to give up
this gratification for new ones. The boy turns to mother and becomes closely
attached. The mother is his girl. He may develop resentment toward his father.
If he is given a warm and close relationship with his mother, he will in time
realize that it is normal for his father to love his mother (this is the Oedipus
stage). Any individuals get an Oedipus complex and will be a "mama's
boy" and become dependent and weak. They may even become homosexuals. In
the case of a girl, it is easier for her to make the transition from mother to
father. However, many girls hate to leave their mothers and want to become tied
to her apron strings if father is brutal, cold and rejecting. Later in life,
she finds men wicked and bad and remains attached to women; and, she may become
a lesbian, fearing and hating all men. They may also become gold diggers and
exploit men. They do this to get even with their wicked father. She may also
become a prostitute because she finds a nice man (a pimp) and subconsciously
the pimp is the father she would like to have. They often become attached to
men who mistreat them because they want to be a good little g1rl and bring home
the money to be a symbolic father. After this stage, the personality is set.
The next period is the latent period up to age 12.
After this,
at age 12 to 14, the child becomes sexually awakened and replays the phallic
stage. Many remain retarded at the earlier stages of development. As adults they
may be like children and may develop physical ailments and problems, and, thus,
look for love by going from doctor to doctor. They also bare one divorce after
another. Many are trying to find a surgeon to operate on them because of a
strong masochistic tendency; they enjoy being sick. Doctors could eliminate 75%
of all operations by comprehensive medical and psychosomatic examinations.
Medicine must be less specialized to understand the problems. There is a need
for more family doctors but instead. They are passing away like the American
buffalo.
Those who
have studied psychosomatic medicine have seen the damage that has been produced
by indifference and lack understanding on the part of scientists. Many doctors
laugh at the idea that 85% of patients have nothing wrong with them. These patients go to the cults for help.
Eighty‑five percent of all people need some type of psychosomatic medical care.
Often a disease such as cancer is delayed (diagnosis). Patients die because of
no diagnosis or late diagnosis (diabetes and other conditions are involved).
Sixty‑five percent get better with no treatment whatsoever because of the
psychological element involved.
The whole
field of psychosomatic medicine is now being given recognition around the
world. It is also moving into sophisticated areas of human engineering. We must
remember organs belong to personalities and we must treat the whole patient by
what is called Gestalt approach. This is: not the organ or area, but the whole
man.

Hypnosis and Its Medical Implications(from the Journal of Psychophysical Sciences and Hypnosis)There is
increasing recognition that various types of suggestion and/or medical hypnosis
are particularly effective tools for treating psychosomatic conditions. First,
may I define these terms as used in this particular frame of reference? "Suggestion" refers to the uncritical
acceptance of an idea perceived through any and all sensory modalities. Thus
signs and messages can impinge on the cortex not only through the five senses
but as the result of kinesthetic, proprioceptive, thermal and about a dozen
other types of stimulation arising from within or without the organism.
Suggestions may be verbal, non‑verbal (facial expression). intraverbal (the
intonation of the voice) and extraverbal
("are you not tired of standing?" Instead of, "Why don't
you sit down?”) A good operational definition of hypnosis is the induction of
state in the organism wherein there is increased susceptibility to suggestion
which alters sensory and motor activities and as a result, initiates
appropriate responses. All physicians,
consciously or unconsciously employ various forms of suggestion in their
therapy. Yet, they seldom realize that faith and confidence in the doctor is
the curative force. Voltaire once stated, "There is more cure in the
doctor's words than in the drugs he prescribes." The validity of this
trite observation is supported by the fact that many symptoms often can be
relieved by placebo medication. Hence, if the effect of simple suggestion as
embodied in these procedures, is so efficacious. Then hypnotherapy, the acme of
scientifically controlled suggestion, should even be more helpful for the
relief of a wide variety of psychosomatic symptoms. The author is not a
therapeutic nihilist, but firmly believes that if a doctor is given the
antibiotics, the immunologic agents and a choice of about fifteen drugs, along
with a good knowledge of differential diagnosis and a profound knowledge of
suggestion, he will be a good physician.
It must be
emphasized that hypnotherapy refers to symptom removal and is directed only to
the functional component of psychosomatic ailments, and only of course, after a thorough physical examination
has ruled out organic factors. The term psychosomatic refers to the interaction
and interdependence of emotions and bodily functions in the production of
symptoms, and it is obvious that in nearly every disease, the psyche must be
treated as part of the total approach to the patient. Hence psychosomatic
medicine is not a specialty but a point of view that can influence the
physician's ministrations. Hypnotherapy thus becomes just another arrow in the
doctor's quiver or therapeutic armentarium. During the last decade there has
been more research and clinical applications of hypnotherapy to all branches of
medicine than in its entire history. The British Medical Association, after a
thorough taught the fundamental principles of
hypnosis as it was particularly valuable in the treatment of the
psychoneuroses, and for an adjunct to
obstetrical and surgical anesthesia. In the United States, the A.M.A. Council
on Mental Health is now considering how hypnosis can be integrated into the medical curriculum.
Despite all
the medical and lay publicity, there are still many misconceptions about
hypnosis. Namely, that only weak‑minded people can be hypnotized; that the
hypnotist must be a very powerful figure; that one is rendered unconscious and made
subservient to the will of the operator and might be made to do something contrary
to his moral code. All of these are fallacious. The only danger from the use of
hypnosis is that it is not dangerous enough! Most physicians believe that the
main problem is learning to induce the hypnotic trance. This knowledge is
readily achieved. Actually, hypnosis is a double edged scalpel which can be utilized
as a therapeutic and diagnostic technique. Also, hypnosis has definite limitations
and, similar to the surgeon’s scalpel, its use requires training, experience
and judgment to determine when and where it will be of value. Its injudicious
use has led to disillusionment twice during the last century. Fortunately, the latest resurgence is being
controlled by reputable scientists, who are deriving their data from carefully
conducted investigations. The revitalization of hypnosis began when a few
psychiatrists decided to try it in the treatment of battle fatigue, hysteria,
anxiety, neuroses, and other depressive reactions which were rampant during
World War II. At this time it was noted that when hypnosis was combined with
dynamic psychotherapy (hypnoanalysis), the time for treatment was materially
shortened. Indeed, so incisively did hypnosis cut to the core of psychosomatic
disorders that physicians came to the inescapable conclusion that it was a
valuable adjunctive psychotherapeutic procedure. At present many psychiatrists
employing hypnosis are convinced that rapport, transference, or empathy in the
doctor‑patient relationship is, to a degree, a form of hypnosis.
The
literature indicates there is a growing awareness that all "schools"
of psychotherapy, regardless of methodology, achieve approximately the same
results. It has been postulated, therefore, that many of the accepted methods
of psychotherapy are merely due to suggestion and are actually due to
"hypnosis in slow motion". This would seem to prove that the strength
of the interpersonal relationship between psychiatrist and patient is the most
important factor in affecting a cure.
Hypnosis
enhances this relationship and there is no reason why every physician cannot be
his own psychiatrist for the therapy of the milder types of psychoneuroses.
Some psychiatrists contend that hypnosis fosters extreme dependency on the
therapist. This is undoubtedly true in some cases, but this is the aim of all
doctor‑patient relationships to keep resistant patient in therapy. This
dependency is always worked through in the latter stages of therapy. Modern
hypnotherapists seldom use the classical or authoritarian techniques to remove
symptoms dramatically, but, but rather allow the patient to go into a hypnotic
state in his own manner and at his pace. These symptoms usually serve a
defensive need in the patient’s personality structure and they are discussed
until they are self‑revealing to the patient. This type of patient‑oriented
hypnosis allows the patient to "save face" and take an active part in
his own recovery without being overwhelmed by material dredged up by the therapist.
In some cases it may not be necessary for the patient to understand the actual
mechanisms responsible for symptoms, but it is extremely important how they
patients feel about anxiety‑producing situations and how they react to them
emotionally.
The
psychiatrically oriented physician can utilize hypnoanalysis even for deep‑seated
personality disorders. Hypnoanalysis differs from psychoanalysis only in
degrees. Both utilize interpretation of material which is brought to light
through strong rapport, and reintegration of hitherto repressed material into
consciousness. In addition, hypnoanalysis uses post‑hypnotic suggestions,
amnesia, age regression, automatic writing and time distortion to speed the
therapy. Post‑hypnotic suggestions can redirect the pent‑up energy employed by
the symptom‑complex into productive channels.
During
hypnoanalysis, the patient's thoughts (free association) are spontaneous and
unfold with ease and maximum latitude of expression. With adequate insight, the
nature of his resistances and defenses are unmasked, the result being a
significant change in personality and an alteration of behavior. During age
regression the patient's verbalizations indicate the vividness with which
traumatic experiences can be relived. In some cases, though not always necessary,
the symptoms can be traced to their origin and linked up with current behavior
patterns.
Hypnotherapy
is valuable for harmful habits, including alcoholism, morphinism, obesity due
to overeating, excessive smoking, andinsomnia. Tic douloureaux and habit spasms
often respond to hypnotherapy. Symptom‑substitution can be used if the patient
is willing to accept a less harmful symptom. For example, blepharospasm of long
standing or a facial tic can be transformed to the twitching of one finger, the
patient usually being willing to yield his deeply ingrained symptom for one
that is not to bothersome and obvious. When the dynamics responsible for the
symptom‑complex are elicited, then the twitching of the finger which has not
had time to become firmly established can be easily removed. Naturally, as
mentioned, organic factors responsible for all symptoms should always be ruled
out by careful differential diagnosis. Cardiovascular conditions such as
paroxysmal tachycarnia, pseudoangina pectoris, idiopathic hypertension,
neurocirculatory asthenia, and other cardiac neuroses yield readily to
reassurance in the hypnotic state. Hypnotherapy is valuable for the psychogenic
component of asthma, allergy and migraine headaches. It is very effective in
neurologic disorders ‑ many remissions have occurred after its use in multiple
sclerosis, chorea, paralysis agitans, epilepsy and phantom limb pain.
Gastrointestinal symptoms of chronic gastritis, mucous colitis, chronic
constipation, duodenitis, pylorospasm, irritable colon, and anorexia nervosa also
have been alleviated. Since children are particularly amenable to hypnosis, nail
biting, stammering, enuresis and other behavior problems are more easily
alleviated by this method.
Many other
disorders stemming wholly or partly from emot1onal factors can be helped by
hypnotherapy. Among these are neurodermatitis, neurogenic eczema, psoriasis,
pruritus and, hysterical contractures, spasmodic torticollis, rheumatic
arthrit1i, low‑back pain, Meniere's syndrome, tinnitus, glaucoma, and globus
hystericus.
In the field
of gynecology and obstetrics, hypnosis reaches its highest potential,
frigidity, functional menstrual disorders, premenstrual tension, functional low
back and pelvic pain, vasomotor symptoms of the menopause, psychogenic pruritus
vulvae, the tubal spasm associated with infertility often respond readily to
hypnotherapy response is also indicative for the relief of the intractable pain
suffered by the patient dying of carcinoma. Hypnosis is a valuable adjunct for
rapidly controlling nausea and vomiting, heartburn and salivation during
pregnancy. It is especially valuable during labor and delivery, alleviating
fear, tension, and apprehension, and thereby raising the pain threshold. When
combined with chenoanesthesia, preferably local infiltration, this
"balanced approach" can reduce fetal anoxia by 50 to 75 per cent.
Approximately 25 per cent of primiparae can be delivered without analgesia and
anesthesia. Another 50 per cent require minimal amounts of sedation, and the
remaining 25 percent will need conventional procedures. With group training, motivation
is heightened and the numbers of patients responsive to hypnosis are increased.
The
advantages of hypnosis are the shortening of the first stage of labor by several
hours, marked reduction in maternal exhaustion, heightened pain threshold, and
the ready control of anesthesia and analgesia. Pain perception during labor is
optional. There is no danger to either mother or baby or interference with
natural process of labor. The disadvantages of hypnosis in obstetrics include
the added time needed for prenatal conditioning; the fact that trance depth may
be affected by psychosocial factors and therefore, render disturbed patients
unsuitable for the procedure. There is also danger of precipitating a latent
psychosis in those women who are seeking to overcome deep‑seated inadequacies
in their personality through a self‑glorifying experience. This type should not
be accepted for childbirth under hypnosis. Therefore, a personality appraisal is as important as mensuration of the
pelvis! Here, of course, the hypnosis is
not to be blamed for the psychoses, but what was done under hypnosis can be
held responsible.
From time
immemorial, hypnosis has masqueraded under a multiplicity of labels. Natural childbirth, psychoprophylactic
relaxation, auto‑conditioning, autogenic training, Christian Science, Yogism
and progressive relaxat1on ‑ all are based on hypnotic technics.
Hypnoanesthesia in obstetrics is not an all or none method and all patients are
informed that they can have analgesia or anesthesia when necessary.
Although
hypnosis is limited to less than 10 per cent of patients requiring major
surgery, It can be used to lessen preoperative fears; it can potentiate or reduce
chenoanesthesia by 50 to 75 per cent. When narcotics which cause respiratory
depression are reduced or eliminated by hypnosis, danger or anoxia is also
reduced. Neurogenic shock is definitely diminished. Postoperatively,
atelactasis and pneumonitis can be prevented by hypnotic relaxation even when
chenoanesthesia had been used. Here it facilitates passage of a catheter for
aspirating tracheobronchial secretions. The breathing and cough reflex can be
regulated through posthypnotic suggestions, and excessive postoperative pain
and vomiting usually can be decreased. In good hypnotic subjects, these
annoying complications can be prevented entirely. During the past year the
author has induced hypnoanesthesia for a Caesarian‑hysterectomy, a thyroidectomy,
several excision biops1es of breast tumors, and many minor surgical procedures ‑
all without analgesia or anesthesia. These were not performed for definite
contraindications to chenoanesthesia but also to demonstrate its usefulness to
skeptical physicians.
In
conclusion, hypnosis is not a panacea but can be a multifaceted diagnostic and
therapeutic tool if it is used judiciously as an adjunctive in the framework of
holistic medicine.

Hypnotherapy in General Practice(from the Journal of Psychophysical Sciences and Hypnosis)During the
past decade there has been a tremendous world‑wide resurgence of hypnosis in
all branches of medicine. This is, in part, due to the official endorsement of
hypnosis as a therapeutic tool by the British and American Medical Societies.
At present, the A.M.A. Council on Mental Health through its Committee on
Hypnosis is formulating plans by which hypnosis can be integrated into the
medical curriculum and also taught at the postgraduate level. It should be
emphasized that hypnosis is not a trance, state of sleep, or unconsciousness,
but rather a communication process which utilizes everyday behavioral response
mechanisms. These merely enable a patient to better achieve new learnings and
understandings. It is not produced by passes, gestures, or a fixed stare
although these methods are useful in some cases. The increased relaxation,
concentration, and greater receptivity and objectivity upon the words of the
hypnotist lead to hypnosis, especially when criticalness is bypassed. It is the
latter which differentiates hypnosis from strong suggestion and persuasion
which only mobilize resistant attitudes. Wittingly or unwittingly, hypnosis has
been utilized under one guise or another since antiquity by both medical and
religious healers ‑ the common denominator of these approaches makes full use
of the imaginative processes to expect a cure. Conviction of cure leads to
cure.
In general,
even though variants are used, most methods for inducing formal hypnosis use
some type of eye‑fixation and monotonic method of speaking. All make use of the
ideomotor and Ideosensory activities (the unborn or built‑in reflexes). They
depend chiefly on ritual and expectancy of success these determined to a large
degree by cultural attitudes.
Contraindications
and Limitations: A physician does not have to be a psychiatrist to employ
hypnotherapy, especially for symptom removal. However, he should have a basic
orientation in the subject, common sense, judgment, intuition, and a rich
clinical experience in dealing with human ailments. If he lacks the necessary
confidence, he will only make the sick patient sicker. The generalist should
not employ hypnosis on the psychotic unless he has experience in dealing with
such patients.
The purported
dangers are not due to hypnosis but rather to what is said during the
communication process. The same words, at nonhypnotic levels, would be
dangerous. The only danger to hypnosis is that it is not dangerous enough. No one
has ever died from it. Can the same be said about steroids, tranquilizers, and
shock therapy? Since the bulk of medical practice is directed to symptom removal,
hypnosis, for proper indications, can be prescribed like a drug. Most
physicians are happy if they can get symptom removal.
When the
patient is trained in autohypnosis, he is the one who removes the symptom. This
is different than direct symptom removal by an authoritarian technique. This
also obviates the oft‑repeated criticism that hypnosis fosters extreme
dependency. Most of the contraindications and limitations are based on the type
of hypnosis used during the latter part of the last century. Today, permissive
and sophisticated techniques have been developed. The physician should not
promise more than can be reasonably accomplished ‑ hypnosis is not a panacea.
The patient should be told that he is not being
treated by hypnosis, but in hypnosis; that hypnosis itself does not
cure, but allows a clearer view of the
self with the ability to meet one's needs with new understandings. This, in psychotherapy, is of
the utmost importance and yet difficult of achievement.
Clinical
Applications: Hypnotherapy is valuable for harmful habits, including
alcoholism, morphinism, obesity due to overeating, excessive smoking, and
insomnia. Tic douloureux and habit spasms often respond to hypnotherapy.
Symptom substitution can be used if the patient is willing to accept a less
harmful symptom. For example, blepharospasm can be transformed to the twitching
of one finger, the patient usually being willing to yield his deeply ingrained
symptom for one that is not so bothersome and obvious. The recently acquired
reflex can more easily be removed by posthypnotic suggestion.
Cardiovascular
conditions such as paroxysmal tachycardia, pseudoangina pectoris, idiopathic
hypertension, neurocirculatory asthenia, and other cardiac neuroses yield
readily when hypnosis is used as the method of reassurance. Hypnotherapy is
valuable for the psychogenic component of asthma, allergy, and migraine headaches.
It is a helpful aid in neurologic disorders ‑ many remissions have occurred
after its use in multiple sclerosis, chorea, paralysis agitans, epilepsy, and
phantom‑Iamb pain. Gastrointestinal symptoms of chronic gastritis, mucous
colitis, chronic constipation, duodenitis, pylorospasm, irritable colon, and
anorexia nervosa also have been alleviated. The fact that placebos have been successfully
used in these disorders indicates why hypnosis ‑ the acme of scientifically
applied suggestion ‑ proves even more helpful. Particularly amenable to
hypnotherapy are nail biting, stammering, enuresis, and other behavior problems
in children.
Many other
disorders stemming wholly or partly from emotional factors can be helped by
hypnotherapy. Among these are neurodermatitis, neurogenic eczema, psoriasis,
pruritus ani, hysterical contractures, spasmodic torticollis, rheumatoid
arthritis, low‑back pain, Meniere's syndrome, tinnitus, glaucoma, and globus
hystericus.
In the field
of gynecology and obstetrics, hypnosis reaches its highest potential.
Functional menstrual disorders and frigidity often respond readily to hypnotherapy.
Hypnosis is a valuable adjunct in childbirth, especially for alleviating fear,
tension, and apprehension, and thereby raising the pain threshold. When
combined with chenoanesthesia, preferably local infiltration, this
"balanced approach" can reduce fetal anoxia by 50 to 75 per cent.
Approximately 25 per cent of primiparae can be delivered without analgesia and anesthesia.
Another 50 per cent require minimal amounts of sedation, and the remaining 25
per cent will need conventional procedures. With group training, motivation is
heightened and the number of patients responsive to hypnosis is increased. It
should be added that some women, seeking to overcome deep‑seated inadequacies
in their personality through a self‑glorifying experience, should not be
accepted for childbirth under hypnosis. Therefore, a personality appraisal is
as important as mensuration of the pelvis!
The
advantages of hypnosis are the shortening of the first stage of labor by
several hours, marked reduction in maternal exhaustion, heightened pain
threshold, and the reduction of analgesia and anesthesia. Pain perception is optional.
There is no danger to either mother or baby or interference with natural
process of labor. The disadvantages of hypnosis in obstetrics include: (1)
added time needed for prenatal conditioning, (2) the fact that hypnosis depth
may be affected by psychosocial factors and therefore render disturbed patients
unsuitable for the procedure as there is danger of precipitating a latent psychosis.
Natural
childbirth, psychoprophylactic relaxation, auto‑conditioning, autogenic
training, Christian Science, and progressive relaxation‑ all are based on hypnotic
techniques.
Although
hypnosis is limited to less than 10 per cent of patients requiring major
surgery, it can be used to lessen preoperative fears; it can reduce chemoanesthetic
needs by from 50 to 75 per cent. When narcotics, which cause respiratory
depression are reduced or eliminated by hypnosis, danger of anoxia is also
reduced. Neurogenic shock is definitely diminished. Postoperatively,
atelectasis and pneumonitis can be prevented by hypnotic relaxation even when
chenoanesthesia has been used. Here it facilitates passage of a catheter for
aspirating tracheobronchial secretions. The breathing and cough reflex can be
regulated through posthypnotic suggestions, and excessive postoperative pain
and vomiting usually can be decreased. In good hypnotic subjects, these
annoying complications can be prevented entirely. The author has performed
cesarianhysterectomy, thyroidectomy, breast tumor biopsies, and many minor
surgical procedures such as curettements, culdoscopies, and other painful
procedures ‑ all without analgesia or anesthesia. Others have performed
lobectomy, plastic surgery, amputations, and numerous major procedures. Its
effectiveness in severe burn cases, the dumping syndrome, and postoperative
anuria has been demonstrated by numerous investigators. Summary: There is a
growing awareness among psychiatrists that all schools of psychotherapy,
regardless of their methodology, achieve approximately a 60 percent recovery
rate. This indicates that there is a powerful placebo effect to all psychotherapy.
In all probability the therapeutic effects of conventional psychotherapies are
due to subtly concealed suggestion or "hypnosis in slow motion." The
therapeutic goal is not so much to have the patient understand the mechanisms
supposedly responsible for his symptoms, but rather how he feels about his
anxiety‑producing tensions, and how he can react to them emotionally on a more
mature level.
At present,
scientific interest in hypnosis is stronger than ever. This is not surprising
as the physician's personality has for centuries been his greatest therapeutic
agent. Thus, it is obvious that hypnosis, the acme of scientifically applied
suggestion should have a salutary effect in treatment of psychosomatic
disorders. Hypnosis is not a panacea but can be used as a multifaceted diagnostic
and therapeutic tool. Its utility can be broadened if it is used judiciously as
an adjunctive procedure within the framework of comprehensive medicine.